Redemption and Salvation
by I'mjustkillingtime
Summary: Fiona Fox has fallen on hard times. Abandoned, wounded in body and soul, and helplessly lost, she has given up hope that she will ever be happy. However, a chance encounter with a kind stranger and the discovery of a growing threat in her old home suddenly propels her forward, and perhaps it is finally time for her to accept her true destiny. Warning: OCs are in this story.
1. Prologue

Prologue

 _It's not easy for me to admit, but…I've made a big mistake. My name is Fiona Fox, and, once long ago, I was a Freedom Fighter. I used to live in the kingdom of Mobotropolis when I was little, and that should be enough to tell you that I didn't live a normal childhood. I was there when Robotnik invaded, and I was amongst those captured by his swatbot battalions. I was then locked away in a small, dark cage, alone and scared. I spent nearly a decade there with little to no chance for escape, but, thanks to a strong dose of determination and a little luck, I got out, and I swore vengeance against the mad doctor._

 _After some lesser exploits including treasure hunting, I finally found a place where I could belong: The Freedom Fighters, a ragtag group of goody-goods led by Princess Sally Acorn and Sonic the hedgehog. Heck, I even had a momentary relationship with the Blue Blur himself, and that should have been it. "We all lived happily ever after" like the old saying would go, but it wasn't the case._

 _Unbeknownst to my new, quote unquote, friends, I actually harbored a severe grudge against them. I mean, how many times had they raided Robotnik's fortress, and never once did they even think to look for prisoners? He even made a robot duplicate of me to fool Tails Prower once, and it still didn't click. I mean, come on, some of them were supposed to be really smart. Where was the common sense?_

 ** _*SIGH*_**

 _But I digress. The longer I stayed with them, the more my hatred continued to grow. They called themselves heroes, and I had spent the majority of my childhood locked up like an animal. Some would say I probably overreacted given what all the Sally and her band had been through prior to my joining, Sonic had even allegedly died at some point, but, in some ways, I still feel justified. But things all came to a head when I met…him._

 _He had it all: that black leather jacket, those killer shades, a smile that could cut stone, and the most glorious green fur that just made you melt inside to see it. Scourge the hedgehog was his name, and boy was he something. He came from an alternate version of Mobius, and he more or less conquered his world with little to no opposition. He was everything Sonic wasn't: savage, ruthless, and completely unwilling to compromise. After conquering his world of Moebius, he had apparently set his sights on our world, and he asked me if I wanted to help. Given at the time I had an axe to grind against both Eggman and the Freedom Fighters, it wasn't so much a question for me, but it was more than just simple revenge for me. Scourge treated me a lot differently that other people had. I felt his feelings were actually genuine for me, as opposed to the lukewarm feelings I got from my then current boy toy, and I felt for the first time in my life that I had actually found true love._

 _Naturally, the Freedom Fighters didn't take my betrayal well, and I will admit that looking back I took it too far when I slapped young Tails on my way out. The kid had a crush on me the entire time I was there, though I found him just a smidge too young. After all that, I was a member of Scrouge's Suppression Squad fulltime. I met his other teammates, all of whom were alternate versions of the Mobian Freedom Fighters, and we had all tried to take out my former comrades and conquer Mobius. It…didn't end well. Alicia and her crew turned on the both of us, and in the end Scourge was banished to a Zone Patrol prison. Naturally, I went to some severe extremes and busted him out. What should have followed was him showering me with thanks. What should have followed was us running off into hiding while the heat wore down. What should have happened was us finally settling down and having the happily ever after I had dreamed of ever since those cold nights spent in that lonely, dark cell. But, unfortunately, I had forgotten something very important. For girl's like me, there's no such thing as happily ever after._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Misery love company.

Fiona rushed hard through the silent thicket as she made her way through the thicket. The Great Forest had certainly seen better days since the beginning of the war, but, in the end, it proved to be one of the most resilient fighters in the battle. Numerous times it had been burned, blown up, cut down, and all but annihilated, and yet it still stood proud and tall as a safe haven for all creatures great and small seeking shelter. Which made it all the more perfect for the fleeing Fiona. She had lost sight of the Zone Patrol not but three days ago, but she wasn't about to risk being caught. The look on Zonic's face, while hilarious at the time, was an evident enough sign that she had made a dangerous enemy. She wasn't entirely certain if she was even safe in her own dimension after what she did, but it was her hope that she had put just enough distance between herself and them to give her a chance to hide.

At last, her tired legs finally gave out, and she crashed at the base of large oak tree. With little strength remaining, she allowed herself a moment of respite, even closing her eyes as she drifted off into a light sleep. For the major part, it was a dreamless sleep; no color, but plenty of sound. Unfortunately, it wasn't really a dream. It was, in truth, a flashback from earlier that same day. A conversation, in fact.

…

 _"_ _Where are you going?"_

 _"_ _Where do you think? I'm blowing this popstand! I've had it up to here with this whole stupid situation."_

 _"_ _But wait up! I can't run as fast as you!"_

 _"_ _Heh, what makes you think you're coming, doll. From here on out, I fly solo."_

 _"_ _W-wha?"_

 _"_ _Look, kiddo, it's been real, it's been fun, but it hasn't been real fun. Frankly, you're starting to cramp my style, and I don't really need you anymore."_

 _"_ _You…YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! What about us? We had something! Not to mention you wouldn't even be free if it weren't for me! You need me!"_

 ** _SLAM!_**

 _"_ _Oh, please, get over yourself, Fiona. I singlehandedly conquered my own world before I met you. All you ever were was some starry eyed little dew drop that wanted to do everything I asked you to do. Well, I'm done asking for stuff, so you can take a hike. Ha! Need you? Had something? You're every bit as pathetic as the day we first met. What a joke!"_

…..

Fiona's eyes snapped over with a sudden shock, only for her to squeeze her eyes shut again as she tried to fight off a sudden burst of tears. She had loved him, given him everything she had ever had, and he had just thrown her away like an old sack of garbage. How had it all gone so wrong? She was finally happy, or at least what she had considered happy, only to have it all taken away from her again.

So, here she was: lost, alone, and she had no one to turn to. She may as well of been in that cage again back in Robotropolis. She never could figure out why Robotnik didn't robotisize her like the others, often figuring that he had a camera hidden in her cell so as to watch her suffering like some sick sitcom. Even after she had escaped, she had often found herself checking the corners of any room she was sleeping in for bugs. But, in a way, her current situation was almost worse. At least back then, she had the assumption that if someone was watching then she wasn't completely alone. But out here, out in the open woods, it was just her. No one else was around.

 **SNAP!**

Or, perhaps, maybe not!

Fiona burst to her feet and she swept her gaze around the immediate area. The last few shades of twilight had lengthened the shadows considerably, and it was hard to see but a few feet ahead of herself. She squinted, and she could barely make out telltale shapes of wolves. Not mobian wolves, mind you, but genuine, devour everything in sight, animal wolves. A shiver of dread raced up and down Fiona's spine, and her mind began to buzz. So far, it didn't seem like they had seen her. With that in mind, if she were very quiet, she might just be able to sneak away without incident.

Unfortunately, just as she had started to round the trunk of her tree, the air was split by the shrill sound of a wolf howl. With panic setting in, Fiona broke out into a straight sprint, and she could hear the snapping jaws and pounding feet of the large wolf pack behind her. One part of her brain stated that there was no possible way she could outrun the vicious predators, but the rest of her brain told that small part to shut up and let her run. The way she saw it, if she could find a tree that she could scale quickly, then she would be able to hole up in it for a while until the hungry beasts got bored. However, in the process of running, she wasn't paying close enough attention to her surroundings. In particular, the large root of a tree that she caught her foot on. She fell face first into the dirt, and she couldn't conceal a cry of pain as she clutched at her ankle. She tried to rise, but another shot of pain knocked her over again. Through the tears, she could see the wolf pack circling around her, their yellow eyes flickering with ravenous anticipation. There was murder in their eyes, and she was their victim. Her heart froze in her chest, and she choked out a sob as she curled up defensively. She couldn't do anything but remain still and wait for what was to come. She didn't want to die, especially not like this, and she wished now more than ever that she wasn't alone.

"Help!" she squeaked pitifully as the nearest wolf drew into a crouch as it prepared itself to pounce. "Anyone, please! Help me!"

"Hang on! I'm coming!"

Fiona's head shot up, and she looked just in time to see a blur of white slam into the attacking wolf, sending it sprawling into its brothers. To Fiona's wonder, she beheld a solid white mobian now standing over her. He was perhaps the average height for a common mobian, but he had a massive mane that made him appear bigger. Fiona had never seen a mobian lion before, but she wouldn't have ever guessed that they were white. The figure was even carrying a stick with aboriginal symbols carved into it, so he must have been a Down Unda native as well. What was he doing in a place like this?

After recovering from the lion's attack, the wolf howled to its pack, and the fight was on. From all sides, the beasts piled onto the lion, biting and clawing as he tried to bash them away. With a swing of his stick, the lion swatted back three, only for a fourth to tackled him and knock him to the ground. It was all he could do to keep its jaws away from his face, but, after placing one hand under the beast's throat and giving it a tight squeeze, the creature finally retreated to catch it's breathe.

In the process, The lion had dropped his stick, and it landed next to Fiona. Without a second thought, she snatched it up and used it to push herself up onto her knees. She couldn't stand, but that didn't mean she couldn't fight. She began to swing the stick madly, not focusing on a single target, and she successfully knocked aside a wolf that had latched onto the lion's arm. He thanked her by booting another wolf away from her, as well as tossing another over his shoulder.

At last, the wolves all retreated and regrouped, and it was evident that they intended to attack in a large force. The lion stood defensively over Fiona's form, his blue eyes blazing. He planted his feet, took in a deep breathe, and then he cut loose with a roar. Fiona had to yank down hard on her ears out of fear of going deaf, but it seemed to have a different effect on the wolves. All of a sudden, they no longer looked so menacing. In fact, they looked much more docile. Meek even. The lion took one bold step forward, and he locked his gaze onto the head wolf, meeting his eyes.

"That's right! I'm the alpha here! You want her, you have to get through me!"

His nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

"And you do NOT want to go through me!"

The lead wolf held his stare for a long time, sizing up the mobian carefully and waiting for a break. Instead, the lion took a deep breathe, and that was enough. Like a tide of dark fur, the wolves parted ranks and receded back into the forest around them. When the last one was no longer in sight, the lion finally released his breathe, and he collapsed to the ground in a heap. It should also be noted that he was laughing.

"By dingo, that was close!" he wheezed, his voice now thick with the common Down Unda accent. "Had those squirrelly beasts of called my bluff, we would've been lunch for sure."

He sat back up, and then he turned back to Fiona.

"How about you, miss? You alright?"

Fiona gave him a blank stare, a bit at a loss for words. She offered him a nod, and then she tried to stand again. She didn't get very far when her ankle burned with pain, and she was brought to her knees once again. The lion's eyes widened.

"Hey, you're hurt!"

Fiona flashed him an incredulous look. He was the one covered from head to toe in claw and bite marks, not to mention his arm was bleeding, and it was her injury he was worried about?

He got up, wincing lightly at his own tender wounds, and he extended a hand towards her.

"Come on. There should be a town or something nearby. I can carry you and…"

Fiona suddenly lashed out, even smacking the lion's hand with his own stick, and he jumped back with a shocked expression on his face. Fiona then struggled to a standing position, doing her best to put as little weight on her foot as she could, and she handed the stick back to the lion.

"Thanks, but no thanks." she said as she turned up her nose. "I'm perfectly capable of getting about myself, and I don't need any help."

The lion accepted his stick, though he was fixing Fiona with skeptical looks.

"You sure seemed to need my help when those wolves showed up, sheila."

"It's Fiona!", the fox said snippily, "and, while you have my thanks for the save, the crisis is over. I have to be going. Have a nice day."

She started off walking again, and then subsequently fell onto her face. As she struggled onto her hands and knees, she shot a look back towards the lion, whom was now wearing a bit of a smug look.

"You can go whenever you like. I'm perfectly fine."

Using a tree for balance, Fiona rose back up to a standing position, and she carefully made her way forward from tree to tree. Every so often she would groan and eek as her foot gave her pain, though she refused to show any further weakness to the lion. Unfortunately, that was starting to prove difficult when the guy started to follow after her. He never said a word, but just the fact that he was there was starting to annoy her.

Eventually, her other leg gave out, and she once again started to fall. However, this time, instead of falling on her face, the lion swept in and kept her steady. He still said nothing, but the look on his face conveyed his anticipation for Fiona's next words. With no other options, Fiona could only breathe a defeated sigh.

"Ok, fine. I guess I would be kind of easy prey if those wolves came back, anyway."

"That's the spirit!" the lion declared with gusto.

Before Fiona could say anything else, he suddenly swept her up bridal style, though he was careful of her foot. The swift movement made her nauseous, and she shot an angry glare towards her would-be savior.

"Watch it, you big palooka! I'm not a sack of potatoes, ya know."

The lion ducked his head bashfully, and he offered a friendly smile in apology.

"Sorry 'bout that, Shei…er, Fiona. It's been nearly three weeks since I last saw anyone, so I guess I got a little excited at the prospect of company."

Fiona rolled her eyes up to the sky. That was just what she needed right now, a socially deprived buffoon. Then again, given her previous string of luck, she figured that it was better than being out in a dark forest by herself. Better to take her blessings when she could get them.

"Whatever. Just be a bit more delicate, alright? Also, I guess we're gonna be stuck together for a while, so I guess I may as well know your name."

The lion grinned from ear to ear.

"Name's Judah Brightpelt of Miracle Forest, ma'am, and I'm glad to make your acquaintance."

With that, the two made their way back into the thicket of the dark wood just as the last few rays of day gave way to the twinkling stars of night. The forest was once again silent and still, and yet there was an odd wind rustling through the upper branches of the mighty oaks. The wheels of fate had started to turn ever so slowly as the beginning of a new and grand adventure began to take form.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Three hours into the walk, and Fiona was immediately regretting letting this fool carry her. Barely a moment had passed since they met, and he just wouldn't shut up. One minute, he would be talking about some village he had visited, and then he would switch to talking about some yokel he had met a few months back…and the fish. Every spare moment he would talk about the blasted things. Halibuts, perch, bass, and a whole other slew of scale covered delicacies that only made her stomach turn. He just wouldn't shut up about he loved them, and he would then go into the different ways he like to cook them, going in depth of how the flavors would tickle his tongue. Soon enough, she couldn't handle it anymore. She screamed, and Judah stopped dead in his tracks.

"Will you please just stop talking?" she snarled. "Good grief, I've known dozens of empty-headed bozos, but you're wearing on my last nerves! Just shut up!"

Suddenly, the forest fell quiet. Fiona peaked up at Judah's face, and she noted that he had a hurt expression, complete with a pout and his ears pinned back. Fiona suddenly felt like a louse, and she took a deep breath to cool herself down and compose herself.

"Sorry about that. I'm just a little tense. You know, because of the wolf attack and the ankle thing."

Judah's ears straightened, and he cracked a tiny grin.

"Eh, forget about it, Miss Fiona. I tend to overstep myself when I'm with new folks. We lions are social people, ya know, hence why we live in such big prides."

He breathed a wistful sigh.

"Sure does makes me miss home, sometimes."

Fiona cocked her brow at that.

"Oh, are you a runaway?" she asked.

Judah laughed.

"Oh, no, nothing that dramatic." he replied. "My teacher just sent me on a walkabout. I am meant to find 'the link that binds all'."

"Huh?" Fiona asked, confused.

"My thoughts exactly." Judah replied blankly. "My teacher, Mentor, has a bad habit of talking in riddles from time to time, and it really makes my head spin, ya know? I don't suppose you know anything about the Dreamtime, do you?"

Fiona shook her head.

"Then nevermind." Judah sighed.

Fiona shrugged, and she tried her best to make herself comfortable. Not an easy feat with the now pitch-black forest. It was nearing midnight about now, she figured, and that only meant that the worst of he creepy crawlies were fixing to come out. Was she a superstitious person? Oh, heck ya! From mysterious water gods to genocidal aliens, Fiona knew that there were stranger things between heaven and earth, and she didn't want to be caught unawares.

"Maybe we should find some cover." she suggested. "It's gotten pretty dark out, and who knows what's out there."

Judah grinned, and he shook his head.

"No need to worry, Miss Fiona. We're almost there?"

"Almost where?" Fiona asked.

Judah paused for a moment, and he took in a deep breath through his nostrils.

"Yep, just another couple of yards now. A small cottage with the fireplace a'burning. Gotta love the smell of old hickory."

When he received a bewildered look from Fiona, his grin widened, and he pointed a finger towards his face.

"First rule about us lions, our senses never lie. After all, the nose knows."

Fiona would have groaned at that overused metaphor, but it died in her throat when Judah suddenly took off at a fast pace. He was no Sonic, that was for sure, but the sudden action had caused her lunch to jump into her throat, and she clung tightly to Judah's neck as they raced through the thicket. The forest whizzed by in a blur, the late-night blues and blacks whirling together, and her ears were ringing as the wind rushed down their canals. Judah continued to race through the forest until a small house finally came into view, and he went skidding to a stop. Sure enough, it was a small, two-story cottage with a steaming chimney. There was even a light on in what was probably the den. Judah smiled down at Fiona, and he started forward at a milder pace.

"What'd I tell you, Miss Fiona? I'm not usually one to boast about my abilities, but even I have to admit that my senses are pretty spectacular. Yep, there's not a thing my instincts can't pick up. Not a single, itty-bitty…"

As though the universe itself wished to shut him up, the white lion was suddenly yanked high into the air, and Fiona was sent rolling across the ground. She glared up towards a nearby tree where a very humble looking Judah hung upside down in a snare trap. He offered her a meek smile, but she burned him up with an angry glare.

"Them's some impeccable instincts ya got there, fella!" she called up to him.

Judah merely chuckled, and he did his best to shrug. Just then, they could hear the front door of the cottage open and slam shut, followed by the crunch of gravel under heavy boots. Fiona pushed herself up onto her elbows, and she spied the owner of the feet. He was an elder mobian if the limp in his right leg and wizened features were any indicator. He was a racoon if Fiona was correct, though that was hard to tell since he had no tail. He was dressed in little more than a white tank top, a pair of camo pants, and combat boots, but the thing that really got Fiona's attention was the sniper rifle holstered at his shoulder. Fiona hated guns, and the mere sight of one was enough to make her uneasy, not that she would ever allow one to know. The old mobian came to a stop just a few inches from her prone form, and he fixed her with a steely but curious gaze. He spent a few moments studying her, and then he shifted his gaze to Judah. After a long, hard moment, he sniffed the air in a huff.

"Well, you certainly ain't the wild boar I was hoping to bag."

Judah offered the fellow a kind smile, though it wilted at the old man's stern gaze.

"Sorry to disappoint you, sir. Uh, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, sir, think you could help a poor man down from here?"

The old man hummed thoughtfully, and then he unholstered his rifle. Judah's eyes went wide with alarm, and he covered his face. There was a shot, and the next thing Judah knew he was sent crashing back to the cold hard ground with a heavy thud. He was seeing stars and swirls for a moment, but it was soon blotted out when the pain started to course through his body, not just from the fall but from the scars of the earlier battle. Judah groaned, and he wished he hadn't, but it was enough to get the old man's full attention. He rushed up to the lion's side, and he looked him over fervently. His face then fell into a snarl.

"Hey, lass!" he called back to Fiona. "Do you know what happened to this poor sap? He looks as though a pack of wild wolves had used him for a chew toy."

In spite of herself, Fiona offered a dry laugh.

"Convenient you say such things, gramps. That's exactly what he did. He pulled me from a bind, and then he carried me around because I twisted his ankle."

The old man shook his head.

"The fool. He's an absolute mess."

He knelt down and hoisted Judah up onto his shoulder before he dragged him over to Fiona.

"How about you? Can you walk?"

Fiona attempted to rise, but the instant she applied pressure to her foot she collapsed once again. The old man rolled his eyes, and then he scraped down and brought her up onto is other shoulder.

"Put as little pressure onto that foot as you can." he instructed. "Now walk."

After escorting the two wanderers into the cottage, the old man retrieved a medical kit and began to dress their wounds, starting with Judah. With the light much better, Fiona could see that he really did look like a wreck. He had grown bald in some spots, and it was obvious that he had been bleeding. She was completely without words. Why on earth had he gone to such lengths for her sake? Her first instinct told her that he wanted something. She had been around the block a few times, and, if it was one thing she had learned from her time alone, it was that nobody did anything for nothing. How many times had she in her trusting youth been robbed of anything precious because some strangers wanted to "help" her out. However, when she really thought about it, Judah didn't seem anything like those people. He hadn't made a single demand in the few hours they had known each other, nor had he really hinted at anything he needed.

She stopped short her musings when the old man moved over to her and began to splint her leg. She gasped as he started winding the wrappings, having not expected the sudden tightness.

"Sorry." he offered. "Got to keep it tight, ya know. It won't set properly if you don't keep it straight."

Fiona turned her nose up at him, and she did her best not to care.

"Whatever, gramps. So how long do I have to wear this thing? A couple of hours? A day or two?"

The old mobian glared at her.

"One, watch it with the gramps comment. The name is Mask, and you will refer to me as such, young lady. Second, if you've got plans, my dear, you're gonna have to cancel. That's a bad sprain, and I'd wager it would take at least a week for you to properly recover."

He looked back to Judah.

"That goes double for you, fuzz face. You ain't going nowhere until that bandages come off, ya hear?"

Judah nodded, and Fiona gagged. A week? As in seven days? An entire week stuck in this small, run down shack with the Zone Patrol still hot on her heels? No way, no how! She had to get out of this joint, and she had to get out now! She tried to jump to her feet, but the sudden surge of pain in her ankle forced her back into her chair. The sudden action didn't go unnoticed, and Mask whirled about on her with a stern face.

"Hold it, missy! Where do you think you're going?"

Fiona matched his gaze with an angry look of her own.

"Anywhere that I want to, GRAMPS! It's a free forest, and I have the right to go wherever I want to. I've got better things to do than be stuck in your little hovel for an entire week."

Mask didn't appreciate that. He leered down on her with an almost fatherly gaze, and he made certain that she felt absolutely microscopic.

"Let me tell you something, missy. I'm not asking anything out of you here. I brought you into my home, set you in my chair, and patched you up with my always dwindling medical supplies. I'm not asking for anything specific, just that you stay long enough for your wounds to heal. You go back running around out there before your ankle heals, and it'll only make it worse. So please, for an old man's conscience if anything, just sit still and take it easy for a while. As soon as the bandages come off, you can go as far away from here as you like, ok?"

Fiona felt her heart sank into her feet. She wasn't getting out of this, that much was for certain, but that didn't mean she had to like it. To further emphasize her defiance, she folded her arms across her chest, and she sat back in her chair.

"Sure, fine, whatever. But as soon as my leg is better, I'm out of here. You got that?"

Mask replied with an exaggerated bow.

"But of course, you're highness. Your fondest wish is my humblest command."

Fiona could hear Judah snicker, but she ignored it. Once again, she was trapped, but at least she would be comfortable. At least, until the Zone Patrol showed up to hall her away. Now satisfied, Mask straightened up, popped a kink in his back, and he started off for the inner part of the house.

"I've got a couple of spare bedrooms here downstairs. That's where you folks will be sleeping. Should either of you need me for something, I'll be upstairs. Just holler; I'm a very light sleeper. Fuzz face, you got the door on the left over there. Missy, you've got the door on the right. You can use that walking stick on the side of your chair as a crutch. Feel free to nod off when ya want. As for me, I'm calling it a night."

"Goodnight, Mr. Mask, sir." Judah called, and the old man disappeared into the upper floor. Then, the two of them were alone once again.

"He seems nice." he noted.

"Nice like a toothache." Fiona muttered to herself.

She picked up the stick Mask had pointed out to her, and she started towards her bedroom. Judah got up and did likewise for his own room. He stopped at his doorway, and he looked over to Fiona.

"Sleep well, Fiona."

Fiona replied with a grunt, and then she slammed the bedroom door behind her. It wasn't that big of a room, barely large enough for the twin sized bed, and there was no light save for the moonlight shining through the window. It wasn't glamorous, but Fiona had made do with worse. She hobbled over to the bed, tossed up the cover, and laid down hoping that for once, just this once, she wouldn't be greeted by another nightmare. However, no sooner had she closed her eyes, she knew found that she knew better.

…..

 _Fiona was running, running as fast as her chubby little legs would allow. With the skirt of her little yellow dress wrapping around her legs, she chased after her as quick as she could. She would catch her this time. This would be the time for sure. All she had to do was catch her, and everything would be fine. At her back, she could feel the darkness closing in, the sounds of manic laughter slowly growing louder and louder as it drew ever nigh. She was almost there. She could barely touch the hem of her blue dress. Her goal was almost within reach. She reached as far as her tiny arms would go, but something suddenly latched onto her and dragged her back. Terror clutched at her heart, and she struggled and thrashed as hard as she could. She had been so close this time. So close that could almost have felt the soft velvet. But she was indeed being dragged away, and once again she was being pulled away. As the darkness took hold of her, Fiona cut loose with one final cry in an attempt for release._

 _"_ _Mother!"_

 _And then, there was darkness._

….

Judah yawned lazily as he emerged from his room. It was still very late, but the call of the wild, as well as an empty stomach, gave him cause to raid Mask's kitchen. He figured the old man wouldn't mind if he had himself a little snack, just so long as he was courteous and cleaned up after himself. So, he made his way out into the den once more, being as quiet as possible, and he started his way towards the kitchen. Suddenly, he paused, and he perked his ears to their fullest. He couldn't have been sure, but it almost sounded like…yes, there it was! Whimpering. Silent sobs. Someone was crying, and it sounded like it was coming from Fiona's room. Puzzled, the lion made his way towards Fiona's room. After opening the door as quietly as possible, he poked his head inside.

"Fiona?" he whispered.

He spied her sleeping in her bed, though that was a bit of an exaggeration. Fiona was all scrunched up in her bed with the covers cast down on the floor. Her hand was gripping the sheets, her eyes were squeezed shut, and her brow was absolutely drenched with a cold sweat. There was just no two ways about it. She was having a doozy of a nightmare. His first thought was that he should wake her, but he decided not to. Nightmares could only be defeated if they are faced. Something his teacher had taught him a long time ago. So, instead, he moved up to the bed, and he laid down on the discarded blanket. He didn't know if it would help, but maybe the sound of his purring, or snoring as callous tended people to accuse him of, would settle her nerves. Worse came to worse, she would wake up and slap him; no big deal. With that in mind, he closed his eyes, and before long he was sound asleep.

…..

 _She was chained again. Why had she even bothered? They always got her in the end. She was here again, that horrible dark place. Four walls, no doors, and endless streams of chains wrapped around her and trapping her in one spot. She didn't even bother trying to contain her tears this time. It was hopeless. She knew it, she always had._

 _Overhead, the demonic specter of that mad doctor hung over her, laughing like a maniac and mocking her efforts. It knew what she had tried so hard to deny. She was his prisoner. Even though she wasn't really in that dusty old cell anymore, she was still trapped. It would forever haunt her dreams and her memories, and no amount of denial could break her free._

 _Why should she be free, anyway? She was a terrible person. Nobody liked her, and it was just a rule that she was hated. She had nowhere left to go, and there was no one left that she actually cared for. Maybe it was time for her to finally give up. She had been fighting for so long. It was time to just surrender._

 _The darkness was closing in now. It could taste her despair, and all she needed now was just a little more to finally break. Fiona closed her eyes. It was over. It was all over._

 _"_ _Fiona?"_

 _Her eyes snapped open, and she looked up. There was a white lion standing before her, a door of light standing open behind him. The light, it felt so warm. What was it? Was it…could it of been…hope?_

 _…_

Fiona awoke with a fright. Before she knew it, she had leaned over too far over the side of the bed, and she fell out and landed on something big and hairy. Judah also awoke with a start, and both he and Fiona scrambled to untangle one another as they shouted and cried out in mad confusion. It was enough to rouse Mask from his slumber, and he came roaring down the stairs and bursting into the room.

"What's going on in here?" he boomed.

Judah finally broke loose from Fiona, and he jumped to his feet while rambling incoherently.

"I was just…that is…I didn't mean to…Fiona, I'm so sorry and…"

"Get out!" Fiona erupted while slapping him hard in the face. "Get out right now you…you FREAK!"

Judah went rushing out the door and past a bewildered Mask, disappearing out the front door. Mask nearly snapped his neck in half as he looked between the open front door and Fiona.

"What the…what the sam hill was that all about? Fiona, why are you…?"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Fiona stormed over to the door and slammed it shut in Mask's face, and there the old man stood looking all the more confused. From the other side of the door, he could hear Fiona sniffling. He then made his way to the front door, and he could see just the last remnants of Judah as he vanished into the forest. Mask took a deep breath, and he took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his forehead.

"I'm getting too old for this kind of nonsense." he grumbled to himself.

With the overall excitement over, he started his way back up the stairs and towards his nice soft bed. He knew he was going to have to deal with this, but not right now. If it was one thing Mask would do, it was solving people's emotional problems before his morning coffee. For certain, this was going to be one long week.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Come morning, the tension still remained. As Mask went about his business cooking breakfast, he patiently awaited his two patients to join him. The white lion, he wished he had gotten his name, had yet to turn in after last night's strange events, and the fox girl had remained in her room. As he chucked one last log into his wood stove to strengthen the fire as well as setting his cast iron skillet on one of the eyes, he stepped away and made his way towards the guest rooms. He stopped in front of Fiona's door, and he rapped his knuckles against the frame.

"Rise and shine, princess. Breakfast is on."

"Go away!" came a hoarse, and muffled reply.

Mask felt inclined to kick the door down, but he quickly reminded himself that the kid was recovering from injuries and needed her rest. He instead walked away from the door and back to his skillet. As he scrambled a pair of eggs, he heard the front door open, followed by the sound of tired groaning. He looked up to see Judah completely covered with leaves and broken twigs. He clearly hadn't had a good night's sleep, but that came as no surprise given last night's fiasco. He pulled up a chair at his table, and the lion promptly sat down. He seemed to be transitioning between asleep and awake, but the instant Mask set a plate of bacon and eggs before him he perked up.

"Thank you, sir!" he cheered as he gave his lips a hungry lick. He then dove snout first into his plate and began to gobble the contents ravenously. Once again, Mask withheld the urge to commit bodily harm. He had heard about lions and that they weren't very modern. Country bums, he had heard someone call them once before. He took his own seat and began to eat his own breakfast, though he did miss the sounds of that pesky woodpecker when compared to his messy houseguest. As they finished their meal, Judah leaned back, and he pat his belly in satisfaction.

"Gotta love a hot breakfast." He sighed wistfully. "Thanks for the meal, Mr Mask, sir."

Mask leaned back in his chair, and he fixed his white haired guest with an even stare.

"Not a worry, fella. However, if you'd really like to thank me, maybe you could explain just what in the cat hair that was all about last night."

Judah's satisfied expression wilted to a look of utter shame, and he sat up in his chair while twiddling his thumbs.

"That…will be a bit difficult to explain. First of all, my name is Judah. I don't think I said that before."

"You didn't." Mask confirmed.

"Ok, gotcha. As for last night, I had heard Fiona crying in her sleep, so I tried to comfort her by sleeping on the floor. A cat's put can be real soothing, ya know."

Mask cocked his head. "You snore, don't ya?"

Judah shrunk in his seat. "As I was saying, in my attempt to be helpful, I ended up making the problem worse. I figure you've gleaned from my accent that I'm from Down Unda. Have you ever heard of something called the Dreamtime?"

Mask closed one eye, and he tilted his head back as he thought hard.

"Seems like I have from somewhere. Some kind of meditation technique, right?"

"Yes, and no." Judah replied. "I don't know any easy way to explain it, so here's the brass tacks. You see, adjacent to our own, there's this alternate plane of reality. I know how that sounds, but it's the truth. When sentient beings go to sleep, their minds enter this realm, and that's how dreams come to be. With the techniques of the Dreamtime, a master can enter the dream realm without going to sleep."

"And that's what you supposedly did?" Mask asked skeptically.

"Again, yes and no." Judah replied. "You see, I'm not a master. Heck, I'm barely a beginner. However, my teacher has always told me that I had an untapped potential, so I sometimes travel, unintentionally, from my dreams to a nearby person's. In that case, Fiona's dream. I didn't mean to do it, honest. I just have so much trouble controlling it."

Mask hummed thoughtfully, and he methodically rubbed his chin as he considered the boy's story. On the one hand, he sounded completely out of his head. It just sounded too bizarre and incredible to be real. Then again, who was he to question the supernatural? He never claimed to know everything, so who knew.

"Whether I believe you or not isn't important, I guess." He finally concluded. "However, what is important is that you apparently intruded on the poor girl's privacy. If you really are sorry, then I suggest you go to her and say so to her face."

Judah flinched. He easily recalled the slap, followed by the biting cry of "freak" aimed at him. That had hurt him the most and brought back a lot of harsh memories.

"I don't think that is such a good idea." he said timidly. "She was kind of, albeit understandably, furious. Maybe it would be better if we just stayed separate."

Mask shook his head.

"Sorry, lad, but that's how it works. The two of you are stuck here for a week, and I'd much rather you resolved this matter now so as to avoid further headaches."

Judah had sunk so low in his chair by now that he was practically lying on the floor. He could tell that he wasn't going to win this argument, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. Mask got up from his chair, rounded the table, and then he helped Judah to his feet.

"Come on, son. The sooner you get it done, the sooner we can all rest easy. Like ripping off a bandage."

Judah shot the old man a mournful look, but he nodded in understanding. He started his way towards Fiona's room, but he stopped just before the door. He tossed a quick glance back towards Mask, whom had begun to clean the breakfast dishes. Feeling eyes on him, Mask turned his head, and he made a motion with his hand for Judah to go on. Judah gulped down a large lump in his throat, and then, very gently, he tapped the door with his knuckle.

"Fiona? Hey, you awake? It's me Judah."

"I said go away!" came a snappish reply, and Judah jumped back from the door. Once again, he looked to Mask for some form of support, but the old man was tuning him out and focusing on the dishes. Judah was completely alone in this venture. Taking another deep breath and summoning his courage, Judah knocked on the door once again.

"Fiona, please let me in. I'm sorry about last night, honest!"

Judah waited for a few moments, but Fiona didn't answer.

"I know that you're angry." He continued. "You have every right to be such. But, please, won't you at least let me explain myself? You owe me that much."

It was a cheap trick on his part to call in an IOU, even he knew that, but it did yield the result he had been hoping for. He could heard the sound of the bed creaking, followed by Fiona's hobbling footsteps towards the door. As the door swung open, Judah was greeted by the very angry expression of Fiona the fox. She had ditched her signature bow from the top of her head at some point, so the hair on top of her head was standing up, and her eyes were red, puffy, and supporting some hefty bags. She hadn't slept any last night, and it was clear that it was affected her already sour mood. She looked Judah squarely in the eye, and then she held up five fingers.

"Five minutes." She said. "That's all you're getting."

"All I need." Judah replied with sigh of relief.

He followed her back into the room, and, after Fiona had seated herself on her bed, Judah once again launched himself into the explanation of the Dreamtime. Whether Fiona was buying the story or not, he couldn't quite be sure. She had her arms folded across her chest, and she stared at him with an empty expression.

"It's kinda like leaving your front door open." He said in closing. "You see, if you always leave your door open, you never realize that you've walked outside until you hit a tree. That's kinda how it works for me. It was an accident, I swear."

When he finished, he watched her expectantly and prayed desperately for mercy. She had her mouth twisted to one side, and her eyes were rolled towards the ceiling. After a few, long moments of thinking, she looked at him.

"So, you can't control it."

Judah finally released his held breath, and he bobbed his head up and down.

"That's right."

Fiona sighed, and she leaned her back against the wall next to her bed.

"Then, I guess I can let it go. In truth, I may have overreacted. I shouldn't have slapped you."

"Oh, it's no big deal." Judah quickly assured her. "Given the circumstances, I probably would have reacted the same way if I had been in your shoes. So, are we cool?"

Fiona studied him carefully, and then she shrugged.

"Sure. Why not?"

Judah visibly deflated as sweet relief flowed into him. He certainly felt better now that they had cleared the air. Satisfied, he took note of Fiona's sleepy expression, and he quietly excused himself.

However, no sooner had he reached the door did he stop. He was stiff, and his face became mired with hard thought. He hummed a wistful tune, and he he debated on whether or not to go through with what he had in mind. At last, he heaved a groan.

"No, I can't do it. I can't walk away from this!"

Fiona bolted upright, and she shot the lion a quizzical stare.

"Walk away from what, exactly?"

Judah turned back to face her, and she was surprised to see that he now wore a very critical expression. He rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling, and he took a deep breath before letting it out again.

"I am sorry for upsetting you." He said. "I meant that. But, while wholly unintended, I can't say that I'm sorry for entering your dream."

Fiona's eyes suddenly blazed with outrage, and she bolted back to her feet, biting back the pain in her ankle.

"Excuse me?"

Judah stood tall and straight. He wouldn't back now, not with what was at stake.

"I said what I said, and I meant what I said. I hate to be a pain, Fiona, but I simply can't ignore what's going on in that pretty little head of yours. Good grief, I can't recall the last time I had seen that many Nightmarens in one person's Nightopia."

Fiona quirked a brow at that.

"Night-what-ens? Night-where?"

"Never mind." Judah said curtly. "The long and short of it is that it was very dark in there. Fear, sorrow, rage, and…well, I'm not certain what that last one was. Regret, perhaps? How have you been able to sleep at all like that? I may only be an apprentice, but as a student of the Dreamtime I just can't ignore this."

Fiona's face became flushed with outrage, and she stuck her face into Judah's.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion on my sleeping habits, and quite frankly it's all none of your business. I was about to let you off the hook before, so beat it before I change my mind."

Judah remained firm in his gait, and he matched Fiona's gaze as the intensity of the moment grew.

"I'm not going anywhere. It isn't just a matter of I won't. I just can't. You may not believe me, but I know what you're going through. If you just keep those feelings bottle up, they'll just destroy you. Trust me, I've seen it happen."

That was the last straw. Fiona shoved the lion hard and knocked him to the floor.

"YOU DON'T KNOW JACK ABOUT ME, YOU LITTLE TWERP!" she roared angrily. "JUST BECAUSE YOU SAVED MY LIFE DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE ANY SWAY OVER HOW I LIVE MY LIFE! YOU PRANCE AROUND LIKE SOME STUPID HIPPY KING WITH YOUR LIFE SO FULL OF DAISIES AND DAFFODILS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT LIFE IS REALLY LIKE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO LOSE EVERYTHING YOU'VE KNOWN! EVERYONE YOU'VE EVER LOVED! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT'S LIKE! ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA!"

"My parents died when I was a cub."

It was like Fiona had been doused with ice water. She froze stiff, and she stared down at Judah. He was now sitting cross legged, and his face retained its stalwart expression.

"They were afflicted with some sort of sickness going on in my village." He went on, his tone never rising a single octave. "I was sick, too. The truth is, if they had of left me be and tended to themselves, they would still be here to this day."

Fiona bit her lower lip. Her anger had cooled significantly, and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. Heck, did she really have a right to respond after that little outburst? Judah struggled back to his feet, and once again he was looking Fiona in the eye.

"I understand that you've had it rough." He said. "It may not seem like it, but I do know how you feel. Survivor's remorse, Mentor called it I think, but you've got it worse than I ever did. You're right when you say I know nothing about you, so, please, just tell me. Let me help you."

Fiona remained silent, and she eyed Judah carefully.

"You sure you wanna know? You seem like a nice fella. I've done things that I'm sure you wouldn't approve of."

Judah pushed himself up, walked past her, and took a seat on the bed, patting a spot next to himself.

"Try me."

Fiona took the bait, and she sat down next to him. She took a deep breathe, and then she let it all out. She started with her childhood and what few happy memories she could recall with her mother, the only parent Fiona recalled having. Then came Robotnik's invasion, and Judah's shock didn't surprise her. Judging from his expression, he didn't seem to know what a robot was, so she dropped the whole deal about the robotisizor and went straight to her imprisonment. Being reminded of her old cell still sent shivers down Fiona's spine, though it was comforting to see a look of sympathy on Judah's face.

"So that's what you were dreaming about last night." Judah observed.

Fiona nodded, and then she continued her tale. She spoke of her escape, and then explained her brief stint as a treasure hunter. To Fiona's surprise, she didn't have as many memories of those days as she thought. There were the betrayals, though. The many times her innocence and naivety had been used against her so that those stronger than her could get ahead. That had perhaps hardened her heart worse than anything, she supposed.

Then came the big one: her joining of the freedom fighters. To better explain the setting, she gave Judah a brief overview of the freedom fighters history and their key members. To no one's surprise, Judah became immediately became infatuated by the stories of the great Sonic the hedgehog and his heroic deed. Therefore, it was even less shocking how disappointed and ashamed he looked when she betrayed them, though he said nothing for or against her reasoning. However, when she mentioned her involvement with the near resurrection of Enerjak, he became angry. Apparently, that name was known amongst even his kin, and it wasn't any more revered by then than it was by Knuckles the Echidna.

She was afraid of how he would react further now that he knew, but she decided to push forward regardless. She switched over to her living in Moebius with Scourge and meeting the Suppression Squad. Inevitably, she came to the failed invasion and Scourge's fall. To his credit, Judah didn't say or do anything to insinuate he was disgusted further, but there was a small wellspring of tension slowly bubbling between them now. So she hurriedly glossed over the final parts, barely mentioning her team up with the Fearsome Foursome, the Zone Patrol prison, escape, and ultimately Scourge dumping her and leaving her to fend for herself.

As she drew to a close, she fell silent and awaited Judah's judgement. The lion had closed his eyes and his face was still, though his nostrils flared every time he breathed out. He got up from the bed, and he began to pace across the floor in front of her. After what felt like hours, he stopped in front of her and looked up.

"Are you sorry?"

She cocked her head.

"Huh?"

"I can't deny that you weren't right about doing some terrible things. I just want to know if you're sorry about any of it."

Fiona lowered her head, and she searched herself for the answer. Did she have regrets? Of course she did. You don't go through life like she had and not pick up a few grievances along the way. However, were there any experience committed by her hand that she was genuinely repentant of?

"There are some things I wish I hadn't done." She finally admitted. "I had no idea what was going on with Enerjak, and, now that I've had time to really think about it, I was nothing but a plaything for Scourge."

Her eyes snapped upward.

"But I can't say that I'm sorry about leaving the Freedom Fighters like I did. I wish I hadn't slapped Tails, the kid didn't deserve that, but Sonic and Sally had it coming."

She paused, and then she lowered her head again.

"Or, at least, that's what I keep telling myself. The truth is, that hatred is the only thing that's kept me going. I just wanted so badly for them to know suffering like I had, and to make them sorry for never looking for me. I know how that sounds, but it's the way I feel. It's all I've really ever had."

Judah hummed at this and scratched at his chin. It was a lot to process all at once, but he had asked for it. He took a few moments to ponder Fiona's words very carefully, and he sorted through his feelings. At last, he came to a conclusion.

"Looks like I've got my work cut out for me."

When she gave him a quizzical stare, he continued.

"I said what I said, and I meant what I said." Judah repeated, his tone being more sing song and jocular this time around. "I can't say that I approve of some of the things you've done, Fiona, and, whether you like to hear it or not, you've done a lot of wrong things for the wrong reasons. However, not only have you admitted to such, but you've also admitted to being sorry for at least a big part of it. That tells me that you have the potential to be a good person, and I want to help nurture that."

"That makes two of us."

Judah whirled about, and now he and Fiona could see Mask standing in the doorway.

"Sorry for the jump scare." He apologized. "I heard screaming, and I came to investigate. I heard your whole story, missy, and I think that's the most I've cried in a long time."

Judah cracked a smile at that.

"I never pegged a tough guy like you to be like that."

Mask shrugged.

"What can I say? Even old boot leather can be worn away under the right conditions."

He walked into the room, and he took a position next to Judah.

"However, lad, I think you're being a bit too forward. A person can only be helped if they wanna be helped or think they need help."

He looked to Fiona.

"So how about it, Missy. I'm sure there's more you didn't really tell, but that's fine. It's your life, and your free to live it the way you want. Six more days and that cast comes off, and you're free to leave. But, in the meantime, this kid really cares about you, and, if I'm being truthful, I've taken a bit of an interest in you myself. It all up to you, but our help is yours if you want it."

Fiona was completely beside herself. She kept looking from Mask's face to Judah's, and she looked desperately for the usual signs. It had to be a trap, it just had to be. Why else would they want to help someone like her? Maybe the Zone Cops has already been through here and dropped her name to the locals. Or maybe they were new recruits for the Freedom Fighters, and Sally had put in a warrant for her arrest. Or maybe they worked for Mammoth Mogul. He had claimed to of gone straight, but that seldom meant anything these days.

However, the more she looked, the less she could deny what was clearly before her. No, it wasn't a trap. These two…she couldn't even think of a proper insult for them, but it seemed like they genuinely wanted to help her. Did she even need help, or, perhaps more accurately, did she deserve help? She still had the Zone patrol on her six, and they would no doubt be accused of harboring a fugitive if they caught up. Surely they understood that, and yet they still offered. Her mind began to race as she tried to think of anything these two might of wanted out of her. Nobody did anything for nothing; that's what life had taught her. However, the truth was that she had nothing to give in return, and she had revealed as much with her story. So, that couldn't be it. Ergo, in spite of her background, the lack of a reward, and the disgust shown towards her past misdeeds, they still wanted to help her. It was just…she just couldn't fathom as to why.

Just then, Fiona felt something rolling down her cheek. She gingerly tagged a hand to her face m, and she felt a streak of wet fur. A moment later, a more streaks became to form, and the realization hit her like a truck. She was crying! It wasn't like the night before, no. Her emotions had been centered solely on anger and outrage then. This…this was different. Her feelings were all over the place, and she found herself with no way how to interpret them. It made her feel small and weak, and she hated it. She quickly rubbed a hand over her eyes, and then she looked back to the two men before her.

"Alright." She said, though she couldn't hide the crack in her voice. "I'll play your stupid little game. But as soon as this cast is gone, I'm leaving. You got that?"

Both Mask and Judah nodded in unison.

"That's all we ask." The old man said.

With that said, both Mask and Judah stepped out of the room to give Fiona a moment alone with her thoughts. As Judah closed the door behind him, Mask plopped down in his easy chair.

"Oh, boy. This is more excitement than I've been used to, lately."

Judah grinned at him and nodded.

"Certainly wasn't what I was expecting when I found her in the forest the other day. By the way, thanks for stepping in. I don't know if she'll ever say it, but I think Fiona really appreciates what all you've done."

Mask shrugged, and he straightened himself up in his seat.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker when it comes to lost causes. If I can help that poor thing through a rough patch, well, I can go to the grave with a small hint of dignity I guess."

Judah laughed at that.

"That's a bit of a morbid outlook, but your heart is in the right place."

He looked back towards the door of Fiona's room, and he breathed a deep sigh. If he could make a difference in the poor girl's life he couldn't really say. But that wasn't gonna stop him from trying. It was like his father had always taught him him.

"No length is too great when it comes to making friends."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The following day marked the beginning of Fiona's, as the old man had put it, therapy. While she felt somewhat insulted by the remark, she decided it best to not complain. After all, these two meant well and had done a lot for her already, so it was only civil of her to just go along with it.

After breakfast, she spent most of the morning talking with Judah, or, rather, letting him do all the talking while she listened. After baring her soul the night before, she hadn't really felt like reliving anymore of her past, and, though she wouldn't admit it to his face, she had taken an interest in Judah, particularly in how he had come to be here. According to Judah, his home resides in a forest inside of a hollow mountain somewhere in Downunda. He had lived in a small village inhabited by a few lion clans, and what really interested her was that it was the women that went out hunting while the men stayed and watched the children, did the laundry, and tilled the land. She felt that she could very easily enjoy such a place.

However, she was surprised to hear that Judah hadn't even seen his birthplace since a few years after his parents had died. Instead, he had lived with an enigmatic figure he referred to as Mentor. Though he didn't give an idea as to what this person looked like, Judah explained that he was one of the wisest people in all of Downunda, and it was he that taught Judah how to dream walk and sent him on his journey. Judging from the reverence the white lion held in his voice, Fiona could see that he deeply admired his teacher, perhaps even saw him as a father figure.

She asked him about the dream time itself, and he once again started explained about the two worlds: the waking and the sleeping.

"The waking world is the world we reside in right now." Judah said. "Here, we are bound by the laws of nature and our own physical limitations. The dream world, on the other hand, is not so plastic. How it came to be is just as much a mystery as the creation of our own world, and why we can connect to it through our dreams is even more so. Everything that dreams can manipulate the sleeping world depending on the ideya, pure aspects of the mind, that a traveler possesses. However, with the right level of mental clarity and understanding of the sleeping world, a dreamtime master can enter the sleeping world and do...well, just about anything."

"What about that thing you mentioned earlier?" Fiona inquired. "What was it? Nightmaren?"

Judah scrunched up his face, and he took in a deep breath.

"Bad news. You see, just like our world, the sleeping world is inhabited by two breeds of creatures: Nightopians and Nightmarens. Nightopians are harmless, and some of them are even my friends. Nightmarens, on the other hand, are pure evil. I can't say why, but they're obsessed with giving good folks the worst of nightmares by stealing their ideya."

Fiona frowned, and she lowered her head.

"And I had a lot of them in there, according to you. I really must be messed up."

Judah snapped upright, and he waved his hands dismissively.

"No! No! No! It ain't all that bad. Everybody gets nightmares. It's just part of life, that's all."

Fiona just shrugged, and nothing more was said on the subject.

A few hours later they had lunch, and then it was Mask's turn to spend time with her. He fetched her a cane, and then they started out for the backyard. There was a chicken coop, a small garden, and even a milk cow standing tied to a post. However, what she didn't see was a pig pen or turkey pen. She had had bacon for breakfast, so where had he gotten the meet from?

She didn't have long to think about it when Mask beckoned her over to the garden. She obeyed, and she surveyed the empty plot of land that the old man was standing over with rising curiosity.

"Ever do any gardening?" The old man asked.

Fiona shook her head. Unlike her former allies, the Freedom Fighters, she had never been the most in tune with nature, so she had often left such things to Bunnie Rabbot or whoever else was in charge of the gardens.

"Well today you're gonna learn." Mask said matter-of-factly. "It'll be good for you to be out in the fresh air, and it's my personal philosophy that everyone should know how to grow their own food."

Fiona rolled her eyes at that, but she decided not to complain. After all, he wasn't wrong, but with the Zone Patrol chasing her she didn't think she'd have the time to watch over crops. Nevertheless, it wasn't like she had anything better to do. Mask then walked off and claimed a bucket. Fiona crinkled her nose at the new smell, and she discovered that the bucket was filled with fish.

"Caught these just this morning." Mask said as he set the bucket down and started to dig a hole in ground. "It took every ounce of my military training to keep them away from that lion feller."

Fiona couldn't help but chuckle as she imaged the old man running all over his front yard carrying a heavy bucket of fish while a manic looking white lion chased after him. When the hole was big enough, Mask took out a fish, and he placed into the hole and folded it into a circle. He then took out a bag of seeds, and he placed a seed in the center of the fish before covering it up again. Fiona watched him work, and she was quick to catch on. The fish was fertilizer for the seeds. It was an old-fashioned way of doing it, but it was a better alternative than what Bunnie had always used for fertilizer. Now that stuff stunk to high heaven.

Mask then beckoned Fiona to come closer, and he set the bucket between them while giving Fiona a bag of seed. From then on, they went forward on the tiny plot of land, planting seed and fish in holes as they went. Mask was a quiet sort, Fiona noticed, not very talkative and very focused. He was systematic in his approach, and his technique was practiced, regimented one might say: dig hole, place fish, ensure that fish has formed a perfect circle, place seed, cover hole, take two steps, and then repeat. The longer she followed him, the more curious she became of her masked host. It was then that something he had said earlier came ringing through her mind.

"You served in the royal army?"

Mask paused, a fish still clenched tightly in his fist. He looked up at Fiona.

"Yeah, I was a sergeant. What of it?"

Fiona flinched. He didn't sound particularly hostile, but there was an edge to the old man's voice. Something about his service seemed to strike a raw spot for him. Fiona did her best to look disarming, even digging another hole so as to look like she was working;

"Just...making conversation. I mean, I spilled my guts the other day to you two. Is it so wrong of me to be curious?"

Mask eyed her with a featureless face. He seemed to be weighing his thoughts, and he was quiet for several minutes. At last, he shrugged and started his planting routine again.

"I suppose not. I just didn't think you'd be all that interested, seeing as how you plan on leaving us as soon as your foot heals."

"Oh, the dream is still plenty alive, Gramps." Fiona assured him as she, too, continued her seed planting. "But, it's not like I got anything better to do. I've already got Judah's life story. May as well write yours down in the little black book, too."

Mask chuckled at that.

"You've got spunk, kid. I like that. Alright then, for starters, I grew up on a dirt farm with my mother far away north of here. Never knew my father, but I got along fine without him. My mother was a singer in a past life, that's how she met my dad I suppose, but she had to give up her dream in favor of raising me."

The mention of Mask's mother caused a small ping of sadness to echo within Fiona's heart. There was never a moment that her own mother wasn't on her mind.

"We never had much," Mask said, "barely enough to just keep us going. But we had each other, and that was enough...for a while. When I became a teenager, the war with the Overlanders had escalated to an all-time high, and there was a greater need for soldiers than ever. Naturally, as a hotblooded youth that wanted to make my momma proud, I lied about my age on some enlistment forms, and I was shipped off to bootcamp. My thoughts had been that I would send the money from my base pay back to my mother, make her life easier."

He paused for a moment.

"It was only after I finished boot camp that I had learned that she had passed away. Died of a broken heart. That's exactly how my neighbor had worded it in his letter."

Fiona flinched. There it was. She been expecting some sort of sorrow turn to this story at one point, but that was harsh even by her standards.

"I didn't have long to mourn, though." Mask said, not even missing a beat. "There was a war going on, and war is not a place for wandering minds. War isn't biased; it doesn't have favorites. In the end, war takes anything and everything that you got."

"Is that how you lost your tail?"

It had come out so quickly that Fiona hadn't had the chance to check herself. She had been curious about his missing appendage ever since she had gotten here, but she hadn't meant to be so blunt about it.

Mask stopped what he was doing to look back at her once more. If he was angry, she couldn't really tell; he continued to stare at her with that same, stone faced expression. Then, just that, he went back to work.

"Yep, but life goes on. Spend your life looking back, you'll sprain your neck. That's why I choose to move forward. Plain and simple."

With that said, they went back to work finishing up the planting and seeding. After they finished watering the rows, Mask led her back to the porch so she could rest. Her foot was starting to sting again, but the place was a lot less than it had been yesterday. Mask himself took up residence in a rocking chair, and he picked up his sniper rifle and started to polish it fondly. Fiona tried hard not to stare, but every so often her gaze would shift back to it. There was nothing special about it, she had seen sniper rifles before, but the old man seemed to hold it with a sort of fondness that one usually didn't acquaint with an object.

"Her name's Lucille."

Fiona jumped. So he had noticed her staring, but it was what he had said that really through her for a loop.

"You named your rifle?"

Mask nodded unapologetically.

"But of course. Every sweet lady needs a cute name to go with her. I got her shortly after I entered my first campaign. Apparently, I had perfect vision according to the doc. Made me an excellent candidate for the sniper brigade, an elite special forces unit. Guess I did good enough cause they let me keep her shortly after I left."

He dropped the cleaning clothe, and he took the time to admire the shine in the rifle's chrome with a wide smile.

"She got me through a lot of trouble back in the day, and I don't know how I would have survived if it weren't for her."

Fiona turned her head, trying to hide an eyeroll from the man. It took all kinds to make the world, but some were definitely crazier than others. Still, when she looked back, she couldn't help but find the ensuing scene somewhat touching. After all, the old man had been through enough in the Overlander wars. He was entitled to living out what few years he had left in whatever manner he felt fitting.

By then, Judah came trotting out of the forest with a trout in his mouth and a contented look on his face. He plopped down on the ground just a in front of the porch, and he went straight way into devouring the scaly treat. As he did so, Mask pulled out a small fiddle he had next to his chair, and he started to play a tune. Judah seemed familiar with the song, and he began to belt out the lyrics at the top of his lungs along with a hearty laugh. Fiona ignored it for the first verse, but as it approached the chorus, she couldn't help but tap her foot to the tune. There was just something about the whimsical melody that made her feel at ease, and, while it was horrendously off key, Fiona found herself swept away by Judah's singing. Maybe it was just the overall novelty of the scene, but for some reason she felt at peace sitting there on the porch watching the sun set over the trees. It had been the first time in a long time that she had truly been able to relax since the break out.

When night had finally fallen, and the first of the fireflies began to blink into view, the trio made their way back into the house. Mask bid his two guests a good night, and he disappeared upstairs into his room. Fiona was now sitting alone with Judah in the den with nothing but the dull glow of the fire place for entertainment. She and Judah would take turns exchanging glances, looking for something to say. Eventually, it was Judah that broke the silence.

"Have fun today?" He asked.

Fiona rolled her eyes up towards the ceiling, and she shrugged.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Gardening isn't exactly my favorite pass time, but I guess I could be doing worse."

"I guess." Judah echoed as he reclined in his chair. "Mask seems like a pretty cool guy, though. I think he's taken a real shine to you."

"Think so?" Fiona asked curiously.

Judah nodded.

"I think he sees some of himself in you. That's why he's doing all of this."

He stretched and yawned.

"Of course, it probably also helps that he's an old hermit sitting around in the middle of the woods with nothing but a cow and some chickens to keep him company."

Fiona actually laughed at that. Judah sat up, and he grinned.

"There we go! I have been trying to make you laugh since we met back in the woods. Now that's a victory."

Fiona froze and stared at him. After a moment, she sighed, and she stood up. However, she was slow to head to bed. She thought back to that morning, and she remembered the things Judah had said about Nightmaren. She hadn't had a decent night's sleep for the longest time now, but that dream from a couple of nights ago had almost done her in had it not have been for...

"Hey, Judah?"

The lion drowsily lifted his head to face her. Fiona spent a few moments going over her words and considering how she should put them.

"Would you mind, well, sleeping on my floor again?"

Judah perked up, and he eyed Fiona warily.

"I don't know about that. I mean, I can't controll when I dream walk.'

"I know." Fiona replied. "I won't get mad if you do, I promise. I just don't...I don't want to sleep alone is all."

Judah blinked a few times, and then he rose from his chair.

"Ok, sure. If that's what you want."

Fiona turned her back to him to hide a sigh of relief. They made her way into the room, Judah leaving the door open behind him, and Fiona tossed the comforter blanket onto the floor before jumping into bed. Judah made his way over to the blanket, dropped down on all fours, did three small circles, and then plopped onto the ground. Within but a few moments, a long string of Zs were drifting from his head.

Fiona rested her head on her pillow. She didn't fall asleep right away, instead rolling onto her back and looking up at the ceiling. It was kind of ridiculous to be afraid of dreams, but the fact was she knew what was coming. After about an hour, she finally gave up the fight, and she slowly drifted to sleep.

...

She blinked curiously as she made her way forward through the grassy plain. There, sitting on a log looking out at the sunset was the white lion from before. He seemed to be humming a little tune, smiling broadly as the wind blew through his mane. She approached him carefully, looking up at him with wonder. He opened his eyes, and he looked down at her.

"Oh. Hello, little one."

She shrunk under his gaze, her small feet disappearing behind the hem of her dress.

"It's ok." He assured her. "You don't have to be scared."

She didn't move from her spot, but the quivering in her shoulders seemed to lessen.

"Do you..." She hiccupped. "Do you know where my mommy is?"

The lion frowned, and he gave his head a shake.

"No. Can't say that I have."

The tiny child wilted, and the beginnings of tears began to form.

"Now, now, no need for that." The lion said quickly. He scooted over on his log, and he patted a spot for her to sit. "Why don't you join me and watch the sunset? Who knows? Maybe she'll show up."

She hesitated, and she started to look behind herself.

"I don't know. There's some really bad things behind me. If I stay..."

"It'll be alright." The lion said. "As long as I'm here, nothing will lay a finger on you. I promise."

She sniffled a bit more with an uncertain look, but then she conceded and sat. The lion offered her a warm smile, and he looked back to the sunset.

"Pretty, Isn't it? I love a good sunset after a long day, and it's always better the second time around."

She looked up at the sunset, and she watched as the orangish red slowly sunk into the violet shades. It was pretty, very much so. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had seen such a display of beautiful colors. She hoped her mommy was coming soon. Then they could watch it all together.

While the little one was distracted, the lion looked back behind them. All stacked together like a cloud of darkness was the most wicked and fearsome assortment of nightmares one could envision. He could hear them hissing and moaning, almost as though they were demanding that he had the child over to them. Instead, he flashed his teeth, and his eyes began to glow a bright gold. The horde fell back, and then eventually dispersed. He was the alpha here, and they knew better than to challenge the alpha. When they were gone, he turned back. After all, there was a beautiful sunset to look at, and he didn't want to miss it.

...

Mask stood silently in the doorway, and he was grinning ear to ear. At last, the young fox was sleeping soundly, which meant he would be able to sleep soundly. He wasn't really sure how she could sleep through the white oaf's chainsaw snoring, but at the very least she seemed peaceful for a change. He fetched a blanket from a nearby closet, and he carefully draped it over Fiona. She took kindly to the warmth, and she curled up tightly in the blanket. Mask chuckled in spite of himself, and then he started back for his own room. After all, it was far too late for a man his age to be awake.


End file.
